St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-07
LET Us REASON TOGETHER.

Mems Christian association in good
working order with a building and
rooms the pride of the town. 1t has
an excellent academy and twelve pub
lie schools, besides large Catholic
schools. 1t has an exceedingly valu-
able and highly priced public library
and gallery of art. 1t has IA capaciOus
public hall for literary and musical en-
tertainments. 1t has a dozen pastors
and clergymen and a score of public
school teachers. 1t has a thousand
children in Sunday school every Sab
bath with a hundred faithful teachers.
1t has dozen missionary societies and
earnest and industrious women meet
regularly and work, give and pray for
the heather and needy elsewhere. 1t
has board of trustees to look after
the physical welfare of the town to
see that the streets and sidewalks are
kept in repair that the streets are
sprinkled in dusty weather and lighted
dark nights; that the sewerage of the
place is perfect and that house drains
all connect with the sewers that the
water mains are filled with regular
pressure of water and the fire hydrants
are always in working order. The
town also has states attorney, a
sheriff and board of policemen whose
especial duty it is to see that the peace
of the place is not disturbed or the
laws broken, and if they are broken,
to bring the offenders to justice. They
are elected and paid for this very
work. The town also has a court
house, Jail and lookup.
This enumeration might be extend
ed, but probably enough is given to
prove, if it were necessary, that St.
Johnsbury is favored town, with OPP
portunities and privileges fully equal
to the average country village. All
these things are very nice and useful,
although the taxpayers think they
"come high" But the one thing that
is priced by almost every citizen above
all price is unknown here. This is
protection. Protection in life, proper
ty, rights and happiness. If the civil
izatiOn, laws and peace officers of this
village are worth any thing, the life,
health, liberty and property of it's citi-
zens should be held sacred.
The remarkable exhibition of row.
dyism and barbarism exhibited Sab
bath night is but the legitimate fruit
of seed which has been industriOusly
sown these later years. Boys and girls
have been allowed to roam the streets
late at night in the companiOnship of
those who have taught them evil and
vile things. Some of these young peo-
pie have parents who cannot control
them and others have no natural guar
dians to know what they are doing.
Heretofore many good but misguided
citizens have said that on the Fourth
of July the boys must have a "gOOd
time"-that young enthusiasm must
have vent, ETC., just as though making
an Internal noise, disturbing the peace,
endangering the lives of the sick and
risking great loss of property was hav-
ing "good time" With this quasi
endorsement of rowdyism by good cit
liens, the officers whose duty it is to
preserve the peace wink at offences,
and rowdies from neighboring colleges
or from our own village who break the
laws are as free from punishment as
though offenses were not committed.
When boys from ten years old and
upward are allowed to run the streets
nights, to make unpleasant and hid
eous noises, to break into churches and
school houses and ring bells, to de-
strOy ornaments and fences in front
yards, as was done Sabbath night, and
as has been done heretofore, it is time
parents realized the kind of an educa-
ton their sons are getting, and it is al
so time citizens demanded protection
from officers elected and appointed fol
that very purpose. Otherwise vigi-
lance committee will be in order.
One of the worst features connected
with the lawlessness Sunday night has
not been touched. There are always
sick people in the place. At this time
there are an unusual number, some Of
whom are in an extremely low and
nervous state, where quiet may be es-
sential to recovery, certainly to com
fort. No barbarians ever treated their
sick and helpless ones as they were
treated here July A. Many persons il
health keenly felt this cruelty and
would gladly have shielded them from
this needless, senseless, wicked inflic
ton.
1t is some time to the next Fourth o.
July, but it is none too early for the
people of this town to wake up and
prepare to meet one of it's greatest
dangers. This place cannot live much
longer upou its past reputation. What
st. Johnsbury was twenty-five years
/ ago and what it is now are quite diff
ferent things. 1t is very soon, if it il
not already, to be judged by its pres.
ent. It's past record has been honor.
able and noble; what its future shall
be depends upon what its present cit.
liens make it.
House Burned.
Il Fire was discovered in the main por-
ton of the house on Jacobs Ladder
owned by O. Tougher Wednesday morn.
ing at about 3 o'clock. The house il